Star Wars: A Different Choice
by ASHtheMUSICALgirl13
Summary: What if nine year old Anakin chose not to become a Jedi because he has horrifying visions from his future. With a different choice comes repercussions, the question is will the outcome of the future be better or worse for young Skywalker…? This story starts at the end of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, than goes AU. Rated T for Dark Themes. Romance/Adventure.
1. Prologue

_**Star Wars: A Different Choice**_

******Disclaimer**_**: Warning, if you read fanfiction you are going to suffer from Spoilers! If you have never seen any of the Star Wars movies (Which I highly doubt) go watch the movies before reading this fic! **_**If you have watched all 6 current Star Wars movies, even if you hate the prequals, please give this fic a go, it has action, adventure, romance (not the George Lucas style romance a lot of fans of the orginal trilogy hate about the prequals), a reduced amount of Jar Jar, and so much more! **I do not own _Star War_s…yet! _Star Wars _is owned by George Lucas and the _Disney Corporation_. Someday, I will own stock in _Disney_ and therefore own a piece of _Star Wars_.

**A/N: First, I want to thank all my readers, reviewers, followers, and favoritors who have taken the time out of their busy lives to read my first real multi-length chapter fic and first Star Wars fic. I'm sorry if I haven't reponded to most of your reviews, I love reading them but for the sake of suspense and keeping my story somewhat exciting I try to let my readers think what will happen next. I am open to any ideas you guys might have and I promise to try to respond to more of you in the future, this fanfic is far from complete. It's just I have been very busy with college and I now have a new job, hence the pause in my other wise biweekly updates. Good news is I'll be off of college for the summer so eventually my secheduel will even out again (at least until September). I take great care in writing these chapters, doing extensive research both online and at my local library to make the experience more like watching the movies (which I have always loved since I am a second-generation Star Wars fan). I hand write all my chapters and then revise them before typing them on my computer (which I revise at least once more) and uploading them to . The next chapter will be the end of Part I and the chapter after that will dive right into the Attack of the Clones timeline (with plenty of narrative and flashbacks to fill the ten year gap). I also created a new coverart that I think better suits this fic (now I feel like George Lucas, I love him but he practically invented changing what is already perfect and upsetting/angering a lot of fans, which is why I hope you guys like this new coverart and are not upset/angry with me) For any new readers, this fanfic takes place at the end of _Star Wars Episode I: the Phantom Menace_, specifically after Queen Amidala heads into her ship to return to Naboo but before she and the others land on the planet (Which I assume should take at least a couple of hours from Corscant to Naboo). Everything before this scene is unchanged as all the changes occur right before the Battle of Naboo, changes our main characters choose that make this AU fic _A Different Choice._I removed the certain terms I had highlighted in bold for emphasis beacuse I feel like they are a bit of a distraction since I also use them for the titles. The structure of writing in this fic are as follows, **normal text** is present time, **_normal italics_** is a dream sequence or in some instances a company or title of an in-universe thing, bold is a chapter title or Author's Note, _bold italics_ is an inner thought or flashback. Why did I choose today to update this fic? 1, I have off of work today though I have to go in tomarrow. But more importantly, it's Star Wars Day! My the fourth be with you all!**

**Plot Summary: Extended title: __****Star Wars: A Different Choice; Book 1 in "The Different Series" by: ASHtheMUSICALgirl13 ****What if nine year old Anakin chose not to become a Jedi because he has horrifying visions from his future. With a different choice comes repercussions, the question is will the outcome of the future be better or worse for young Skywalker…? This story starts at the end of _Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace_, than goes AU. Rated T for Dark Themes. Romance/Adventure.**

_**Part I: The Phantom Menace **_

**Prologue: Anakin's Worst Nightmare**

After the Republic Senate failed to offer support to the invaded planet of Naboo, its Queen and her party re-boarded their ship, the brave fourteen year old on a mission to free her planet herself. Among Queen Amidala's travel companions are: her handmaidens, a Jedi Master and his Padawan, and a young former slave from Tatooine. The sandy-blonde haired, sapphire-eyed nine year old boy is Anakin Skywalker. A former slave whom had just left his mother behind to train as a Jedi, it hurt Anakin that the Jedi Council deemed him too old to be trained after he had left everything behind to do so. Sent out to travel with Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin is beginning to resent leaving his mother behind and doubting whether or not he even wants to be a Jedi anymore. Was he making the right decision?

Meanwhile, Queen Amidala, a beautiful petite, chocolate-brown haired, coffee-brown eyed girl in her early teens was recently elected to lead and rule the entire planet of Naboo. Having befriended the mischievous Gungan Jar Jar Binks, the astromech droid R2-D2, and Anakin as the royal handmaiden Padmé Nebierrie, Amidala has hidden her true identity to everyone, using her decoy/bodyguard/best friend Sabé to act in her place as queen. It helps that Amidala wears concealing white face paint and elaborate costumes that allow her to switch identities with her look alike best friend easily. In an attempt to reclaim her home planet from the Trade Federation's invasion force, Amidala plans to gain the support of the other Gungans on Naboo and together fight off the invaders.

While on board the royal silver Nubian ship, Anakin decides to take a short nap before the battle of Naboo will begin. As he loses consciousness, he thinks of Padmé and of what his future will be…

_Anakin awakens and looks around, discovering that he is no longer on the ship. Looking at his hands, he sees that he is transparent and when he goes to touch a near-by tree his hand falls through it, like he is some sort of ghost. Anakin then notices what appears to be a clone or twin of himself who is walking around a marshy, swamp-like forest with R2-D2, Jar Jar, the two Jedi, Padmé, "Queen Amidala", several other handmaidens, Captain Panaka, and a few other people he did not recognize. Anakin watches as Padmé reveals her true identity to the Gungan Leader Boss Nass and gains his support in fighting the invasion force. The scene quickly changes to Anakin piloting a yellow Nubian Starfighter with the help of R2-D2, destroying the Trade Federation's Main Droid Control Ship in the process. The scene abruptly changes again until he is at a funeral of some sort. Releasing a breath of relief after he sees the real Queen Amidala alive though in mourning as well as himself, Anakin watches as Obi-Wan promises to train him as a Jedi, coming to the conclusion that Qui-Gon was the one who had died in the battle to liberate Naboo and that they were at the Master Jedi's funeral. The scene changes yet again to a happier one, a grand parade where Anakin notices Queen Amidala looks more like the Padmé he knew than the planet's newly elected monarch. Observing himself, Anakin notices the grin absent from his face that should be there, replaced with a contemplative frown. It looks like he was allowed to be trained as a Jedi after all, so why was he so upset?_

_The scene changes yet again until it appears to be many years later. Anakin sees himself now as a young man, a Jedi Padawan who has not seen his friends in over a decade. Training long and hard under Obi-Wan's apprenticeship, Anakin has a horrible feeling about the fate of his mother, his older counterpart seeming to have nightmares and calling out for her. What also troubles Anakin is that he could tell by mere observation that he and Padmé hadn't seen each other since the victory parade that has yet to happen in his own time. Not only have they not seen or spoken to each other in years, Padmé and the older Anakin act as if they are strangers. The younger Anakin can't help but feel worried as hears the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala's life and only feels slightly relieved that his other self will be her official Jedi Protector. The following scenes are confusing to the boy as he watches how both the older version of himself and the older Padmé both love each other but apparently can't be together because it goes against the Jedi Code. Anakin wishes this nightmare to end after witnessing his mother die in his arms and is also horrified to see the older him kill an entire Tuscan Raiders' Village out of pure revenge. When Padmé convinces the older Anakin to leave Tatooine to go rescue Master Obi-Wan, little Ani can't help but wonder if this nightmare couldn't get any worse. It takes facing their own executions and impending and almost certain deaths for Padmé to confess to Anakin how much she loves him. After escaping with the help of a few other Jedi Knights, Anakin faces the once Jedi Count Dooku who has turned to the Dark Side of the force. Young and impatient, the younger Anakin does his best to not scream out as Dooku cuts one arm off his teenage counter part and nearly kills the Padawan. With all that has happened so far including the beginning of a war for the once at peace Republic, the only happy moment the young Anakin has had since the victory parade on Naboo would be his wedding to Padmé, and even this scene is tainted with secrecy and a foreboding feeling of dark uncertainty. _

_The nine year old Anakin watching his future flash before his eyes, because there is no other way he could describe what he is both seeing and feeling, has a feeling things are only going to get worse. The loving innocent boy could never imagine himself as a cold hearted general leading his troops into battle while fighting a war that makes no sense. The older Anakin referred to as "the Hero With No Fear" appeared to have a lot of fear. The boy could sense his fully grown counterpart and the turmoil from within. A secret marriage and a gruesome war were taking its toll on the young man the Jedi called "the Chosen One." Ani hated this nickname the most since he never wanted to be god-like. All he wanted was to free his mother and the other slaves, and be with his true love Padmé. The Jedi were supposed to be the guardians of peace and save people, not fight in a war and kill people. And what was wrong with a Jedi being in love, love is the greatest thing in the galaxy! Ani could not help but admire how much Padmé loves him and how much she sacrifices so that they could be together. She would rather suffer and have Anakin live his dreams than force him to choose between being with her or being a Jedi. _

_Chancellor Palpatine ordering the young Jedi Knight to kill the unarmed Count Dooku shocked Anakin to his very soul, the older man seemed friendly to Anakin and had even befriended the former slave. Now it seems Palpatine could not be trusted according to little Anakin. The scene shifted to one where Anakin is reunited with his wife, who reveals to him that she is pregnant. The joy the young man feels is short lived, having nightmares of his wife's death in childbirth. However, the boy notices something that his counterpart doesn't seem to be paying attention to. He notices that in the nightmare, Padmé is with Obi-Wan-not him. Somehow Anakin's absence at the birth of his own child, children?, is the major key behind the whole nightmare. As the older Anakin struggles with his feelings, the young one can only watch and realize that being a Jedi has driven him insane. If Anakin was doubting his decision to become a Jedi before, he has no more doubts now. However, not only does Ani have to watch himself give into the Dark Side and become Darth Vader in a vain attempt to save his beloved Padmé, not only does he have to watch the slaughter of innocent younglings by his own hand, but he must watch a scene that makes him violently ill, though still his presence goes unnoticed has it has through out these visions. On the volcanic planet of Mustafar, little Ani looks on as Darth Vader and his wife embrace. Something else that has shaken Anakin up would be that he grows up to be so arrogant, so heartless. Is this what becoming a Jedi will do to him? How could Padmé still love him after everything he has done so far, let alone joining the Dark Side? He may still be a nine year old boy, but this experience, dream or potential future, has changed Anakin, hopefully for the better. It is this scene and one more thereafter that will convince Anakin to decline the Jedi's offer for him to be trained. Whatever he will do, wherever he will go, Anakin will not be a Jedi, which he hopes will keep him from turning to the Dark Side…_

_After watching Darth Vader kill the Separatist Leaders, Anakin notices that another ship is entering the Mustafar Surface. Anakin ponders that its either the same ship he was supposed to be on right now or one just like it, either way the one person on the ship who came to his mind immediately was a concerned, pregnant Padmé. The boy knew she was in great danger but he is powerless to prevent the events that will unfold before his very eyes in a moment or two. _

_Padmé rushes to her misguided husband in great fear and utter disbelief in what he has become. They embrace quickly and while Padmé feels relived that Anakin seems to be okay, her husband is suspicious of why she had disobeyed him when he told her to stay at her apartment. _

"_Padmé! I saw your ship…" the older Anakin states bewildered at his wife's presence._

"_Oh, Anakin!" Padmé interrupts him, her concern for him expressed openly to their unseen audience. Little Anakin is shaking and is feeling more fear than he has ever felt in his entire short life, not for himself, but for his Angel. _

"_It's alright, you're safe now. What are you doing out here?" asks the Jedi turned Sith._

"_I was so worried about you. Obi-Wan told me __terrible__ things. He said you've turned to the Darkside…that you __killed__ younglings!" cries his heavily pregnant wife hysterically._

"_Obi-Wan was with you?" yells the older Anakin, at this point he is more Darth Vader than his true self, "Obi-Wan is trying to turn you __against__ me! I've become more powerful than __any__ Jedi dreamed of and I've done it for __you__. To protect __you__!"_

"_I don't want your power or your protection! Anakin, all I want is your __love__!" pleads Padmé desperately._

"_Love won't save you, only my new powers can do that. I won't lose you the way I lost my mother!" proclaims Vader, trying and failing to lower his voice and control his temper, "We don't have to hide anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor…I can __overthrow__ him, and together you and I can rule the Galaxy. Make things the way __we__ want them to be!"_

"_I don't believe what I'm hearing…Obi-Wan was right," mumbles Padmé in shock of what her Anakin has become._

"_I don't want to hear __anymore__ about Obi-Wan!" growls Vader angrily, "The Jedi turned against me. The Republic turned against me. Don't __you__ turn __against__ me!"_

_The younger Anakin wants to close his eyes and will himself away from this nightmare, but his body wont listen to him and forces the boy to continue watching as the scene unfolds…_

"_Anakin, I'll __never__ stop loving you, but you are going down a path I cannot follow!" cries a heartbroken Padmé._

"_Because of __Obi-Wan__!" accuses Vader, little Anakin hardly believing he would ever yell at or hurt Padmé this way._

"_Because of what you're doing…what you plan to do!" exclaims Padmé, not noticing that Obi-Wan has just left her ship from his hiding spot as she had not allowed him to come near her husband, "Anakin, please come back to me…I __love__ you!" _

"_Liar__!" Vader shouts furiously, starting to use the force to choke his wife while his younger self cries out, "You're with __him__! You __betrayed__ me…you brought him here to __kill me__!"_

"_No! Anakin…I swear," Padmé coughs as she tries to use her hands to stop the choking Anakin is doing with the force. Ani is beyond shocked and horrified as he watches as his Angel is being tortured by his own hand for something she did not even do. _

"_Let her go Anakin!" demands Obi-Wan angrily. When his former apprentice continues his choking, Obi-Wan repeats even angrier, "__Let her go__!"_

"_You will not take her from me__!" shouts Anakin as he throws Padmé to the ground using the force, causing her to go limp and unconscious. Little Anakin walks closer to Padmé, wishing he could touch her and comfort her though he knows he cannot. He also cannot stop the tears freely flowing out of his eyes, believing he has never cried so much in his life, even in spite of his life as a slave. _

"_Your anger and your lust for power have already done that!" interjects Obi-Wan. _

"_You turned her __against __me!" yells the young Sith. _

"_You did that __yourself__," replies the Jedi Master, "You've let the Dark Lord twist your point of view until you've become the __very thing __you swore to destroy!" _

"_Don't __lecture__ me, Obi-Wan. I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the Darkside as __you__ do!" rants Vader, "I have brought peace and security to __my__ new __empire__…" _

"_Your new empire!" intrrupts Obi-Wan, "My allegience is to the __Republic__, to __democracy__! Anakin…" _

"_If you are not __with __me," Darth Vader declares, "Then you are __my enemy__!"_

_Ani continues to watch as his older self and Obi-Wan fight to the death, running to keep up with them in the process. He cries out again as he watches Obi-Wan cut off his older self's three remaining flesh limbs and leaves him behind to burn to death. _

_Little Anakin barely notices as the scene changes again, this time to dark, medical room that looks more like a garage. Ani sees the hooded Palpitine approach a mass of black leather and robotics, a man that is more machine than man. He somehow knows that this is him even before the Dark Sith Lord addresses the cyborg. _

"_Lord Vader, can you hear me?" asks the Emperor calmly. _

"_Yes, my master," replies Vader with his new, deeper machinacle voice, needing a body suit and mask to breathe, "__Where is Padmé__? Is she safe?" _

"_I'm afraid she __died__," answers Palpatine with false concern, "It seems in your anger…__You killed her__."_

"_Noooooooooo__!" cries/shouts Darth Vader painfully._

"_Nooooooooo__!" cries Anakin, speaking for the first time since he entered this nightmare he cannot seem to escape, he would never yell at nor hurt his Angel, let alone kill her, "__Noooooooo__…"_

"Ani, wake-up!" yells Padmé, the fourteen year old version, "Come on Anakin, it's just a dream, snap out of it!"

"Huh?" asks Anakin still half-asleep, waking fully when he sees his Angel alive and well, "Padmé, you're alive!" The boy quickly crushes the queen in a nearly bone breaking bear hug. Fearing that something else maybe wrong, Padmé quickly returns the hug.

"Ani are you alright?" Padmé asks, her voice full of nearly identical concern to the future Padmé, "What happened? You were crying and screaming in your sleep when I came to get you, the others are already out of the ship and ready to head off on our mission."

"You proably wont believe me and call me a funny little boy again," Anakin sniffles, realizing he was finally out of that nightmare, at least mostly. He feels like that nightmare will never leave him fully.

"No, Anakin I wont, and I'm sorry" replies Padmé sincerely, "Now come on, you can tell me anything, I promise to believe you. Did you have another vision?"

"Yes," Anakin answers, the horror still evident in his eyes, "I dreamed of my future…our future. We will be successful in freeing your home…your highness."

"I know you're really Queen Amidala," continues Anakin feeling a little better from his ordeal, Padmé meanwhile only watches him in rapt attention, not saying a word, "Soon after I become a Jedi like I always wanted to only it's not what I thought it would be."

"I will be miserable, Padmé! I change into an evil monster," Anakin reveals, "And we don't see each other for many years and when we do we act like complete strangers! The Jedi aren't allowed to love and I cannot live without it!"

"Master Qui-Gon said I had a choice on whether or not I want to become a Jedi," states Anakin, "At first I was so excited, until the Council refused to let me become one."

"But now, after seeing my future, I know why. I don't want to be a Jedi anymore," confesses Anakin, "me becoming a Jedi Knight is the main reason why you will die in only a few years and my attempt to save you with their powers will only make things worse!"

"Whether or not you become a Jedi is your choice Anakin," comforts Padmé with a slight rosy blush, "No matter what happens, I will always care about you, though I have no idea why, I just do."

"You really are an Angel, Padmé," Anakin says, blushing madly, "You will sacrifice so much for me, especially if I become a Jedi. I will not let that happen, you deserve so much more happiness and me being a Jedi will only hurt the both of us."

"Well, lets not continue this right now," comments Padmé trying to get their minds re-focused on the plan to take Naboo back from the Trade Federation, "We have a misson to fullfill. Your assurance in our success gives me new hope in accomplishing our goals. So get ready, we'll be leaving soon."

"On my way," replies Anakin teasingly, "Your Highness."

"Just two more things I need to say," announces the girl queen, "One, don't call me Your Highness when its just the two of us or when I am disguised as a handmaiden. Two, you're not a funny little boy, you're a clever little boy for figuring out who I really was when two Jedi knights could not."

Anakin smiled broadly as Padmé walked out of the room, than out of the ship. He quickly put away the blanket and pillow he had used for his nap before following his Angel out of the ship and back to everyone else. It was time to push other things aside until later. They had a battle to win after all…


	2. Ch 1:Meeting With the Gungans

_**Star Wars: A Different Choice**_

**Part I: The Phantom Menace **

** Chapter 1: Meeting With the Gungans**

Queen Amidala of the Naboo and her comrades are treading through the swamps of Naboo. The watery landscape is dominated by various shades of green while the waterlogged trees are a dull ash-brown color, their mint green leaves blocking out most of the bright sunlight of the afternoon. Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi are conversing as the group searches for the Gungans to ask for their help in defeating the Trade Federation.

"I'm sorry I've been so rebellious," apologizes Obi-Wan for his earlier behavior of openly disagreeing with his master about training Anakin as a Jedi.

"You will become a great Jedi," praises the long-brunette haired, bearded Jedi Master in his wise tone of voice.

"Do you think the Queen will be successful?" asks the red-head padawan curiously.

"I don't know," replies Master Qui-Gon, "But we mustn't use our powers to influence the Gungans. The Queen must do this on her own, we can not help her."

* * *

About an hour later the Queen and the rest of her group have arrived at their destination, the pool of water above the entrance to the Gungan capital city, Otoh Gunga. Jar Jar dives into the water, alone, to let the Gungans know that Queen Amidala requests an audience to speak with the Gungan leader Boss Nass. However, there is a great possibility that the Gungans have abandoned Otoh Gunga for a safer, more isolated place or they could have been all killed or could be imprisoned. The party watches the pool of fresh water known as Lake Paonga, waiting for the clumsy, orange Gungan to return to them.

After a few moments Jar Jar Binks resurfaces, soaking wet and alone. "Dare-sa nobody dere, Da Gungan city is deserted," announces Jar Jar, "Some kinda fight, I tink."

"Do you think they have been taken into camps?" Obi-Wan asks.

"More likely they were wiped out," stiffly comments Captain Panaka, Queen Amidala's Chief of Security.

"Mesa no tink so," replies the Gungan.

"Do you know where they are?" asks Master Qui-Gon.

"When in trouble, go to sacred place," states Jar Jar excitingly, "Mesa show you. Come on, mesa show you!"

* * *

The groups walks briskly until they reach a bunch of primitive stone statues of what appears to be the heads of some ancient goddesses, the Gungan sacred place. They approach Boss Nass, surrounded by his numerous fellow warriors and body guards. He is a large and rather fat being with the appearance of a olive green frog or toad found on Earth. Dressed in ceremonial royal brown robes embroidered with gold and also wearing a distinct forest green head piece and matching shoulder armor, Boss Nass is ready to confront the invaders who drove his people from their homes. Boss Nass, like most Gungans, despises the Naboo and it seems unlikely that he would even consider helping their Queen.

Sabé, disguised as Queen Amidala with the white make up and the elaborate, but battle ready red and black outfit, walks a step or two closer to Boss Nass, the others standing behind her. Nervous, she does her best to sound like the confident queen she is portraying.

"I am Queen Amidala of the Naboo," addresses Sabé in her most regal voice, "I come before you in peace."

Anakin, who is standing in the back and to the side next to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, notices that the scene before him looks familiar. It looks almost exactly like the first scene in his nightmare, the one he had on the Queen's ship earlier that same day.

"Naboo biggen. Yousa bringen da mackinees," comments Boss Nass condescendingly, " Yousa all bombad."

"We wish to form an alliance," Sabé continues, losing some of her false confidence.

"Your Honor," interrupts Padmé in front of the decoy queen, shocking most of her audience except Anakin. This interruption is evidence to the boy that his nightmare was no dream, but a vision of what is to come if things continued the way they were. He watches as the purple, almost maroon robed handmaiden walks beside the "Queen", ready to reveal her true identity in hopes it will form trust with the Gungans.

"Whosa dis?" asks a bewildered Boss Nass, wondering why a lowly servant was interrupting her own queen.

"I am Queen Amidala. This is my decoy, my protection, my loyal bodyguard," reveals Padmé in her real voice, not her false royal accent, turning to face her handmaiden than back again to facing the Gungan leader, "I am sorry for my deception, but it was necessary to protect myself."

"Although we do not always agree, Your Honor, our two great societies have always lived in peace," Amidala continues passionately, "The Trade Federation has destroyed all that we have worked so hard to build. If we do not act quickly, all will be lost forever."

"I ask you to help us…no, I beg you to help us," pleads Padmé as she kneels before the Gungan leader, the others in her group mimicking her action, "We are your humble servants. Our fate is in your hands."

"Yousa no tinker yousa better than the Gungans," states Boss Nass skeptically at first, but, after seeing the Queen's sincerity when she shakes her head no, is pleased and agrees to the alliance, "Mesa like dis. Maybe wesa bein' friends."

* * *

After Boss Nass decided to form an alliance with Queen Amidala, the planning of how to end the Trade Federation occupation had begun. Finding out that it was the clumsy, trouble-making Jar Jar Binks that has brought the Gungans and the Naboo together, Boss Nass decides to let go of all his previous animosity and even has a surprise for the unlikely hero.

"Yousa doen grand. Jar Jar bringen da Naboo together," states Boss Nass proudly, "So wesa maken yousa Bombad General."

"General?!" exclaims a confused Jar Jar.

* * *

With the conversation with Boss Nass over, Jar Jar climbs to the top of one of the head statues, looking for any signs of trouble. At around midday, he hears a faint but unusual sound. As it gets louder, the Gungan recognizes the sound of droid ships in the distance.

"Daza comen!" he yells frantically, hopping off the statue and running towards the others.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Queen is speaking with her head of security, the two Jedi, and Boss Nass. Anakin's presence goes unnoticed or ignored.

"What is the situation?" asks Amidala., wanting to know how her people are coping with the occupation.

"Almost everyone is in camps. A few hundred police and guards have formed an underground resistance movement. I've brought as many leaders as I could," informs the Captain, "The Federation army is also much larger than we thought. Your Highness, this is a battle I do not think we can win."

"The battle is a diversion. The Gungans must draw the droid army away from the cities. We can enter the city using the secret passageways on the waterfall side," proclaims the Queen, "Once we get to the main entrance, Captain Panaka will create a diversion so that we can enter the palace and capture the Viceroy. Without the Viceroy, they will be lost and confused."

"What do you think, Master Jedi?" asks Queen Amidala.

"The Viceroy will be well-guarded," comments Qui-Gon seriously.

"The difficulty's getting into the Throne Room," declares Panaka, "Once we're inside, we shouldn't have a problem."

"There is a possibility with this diversion that many Gungans will be killed," cautions the Jedi Master.

"Wesa ready to do are-sa part," pledges Boss Nass.

"We have a plan which should immobilize the droid army. We will send what pilots we have to knock out the droid control ship, which is orbiting the planet," Queen Amidala continues, "If we can get by their ray shields, we can sever communication and their droids will be helpless."

"A well conceived plan. However, there's great risk," states Qui-Gon thoughtfully, "The weapons on your fighters may not penetrate the shields on the control ship."

"And there's an even bigger danger," adds Obi-Wan, "If the Viceroy escapes, Your Highness, he will return with another droid army."

"That is why we must not fail to get the Viceroy," demands Amidala in her Queen voice, "Everything depends on it."

Meanwhile Anakin has been listening to the discussion, deciding on whether or not to tell them what he knows from his dream about their mission. The longer he thinks about it, the more convinced he is to not tell them what will happen. Anakin does not want to change the outcome of this battle, even though he knows Master Qui-Gon will die. It was not like he saw how the Jedi Master would perish, he did not, nor does he want the battle to shift to the Trade Federation's favor by him trying to change their actions when the original outcome will be victory. Besides, while Padmé, who is the Queen, believes him, the others will not. And why should they, he was just a nine year old boy and a nobody former slave from Tatooine. Anakin definitely does not want the Queen to look bad in front of everyone else by defending a small boy who they would assume has no idea of what is actually going on. He concludes that it is best if Padmé, and only her not anyone else, knows about his prophetic nightmare.

Noticing that the important meeting is over and that everyone is going their separate ways for now, Anakin approaches Master Qui-Gon Jinn. He also notices Padmé walking off to somewhere away from everyone else but focuses his attention on the Jedi. It is time for Anakin to play the innocent little boy act, though he wonders if the wise JedI will fall for it.

"What about me?" asks Anakin, his concern real not for himself but for the Jedi Master.

"You stay close to me and do what I say," instructs Master Qui-Gon, "And you will be safe." With that the Jedi walks back to the speeder, waiting for their plan to begin.

* * *

As the Jedi walks to the speeder, Anakin sneaks off to find Padmé. He knows what kind of person she is and is aware that she is trying to put aside her feelings to execute her plan successfully. It must be extremely difficult for someone as caring as Padmé to watch as her people keep dying around her and for her to not be able to save everyone. He understands that feeling, like when he wanted the Jedi to free all the slaves but they couldn't. He wants everyone to be free just like she wants everyone to be safe, unfortunately it seems neither one of them will get what they want. Anakin knows he must find Padmé before she heads back to everyone else because once she does, she will be Queen Amidala again and will be solely focused on storming the palace. And he will be destroying the droid control ship, so they both will be too busy to spend time together, maybe even after the battle is over as well since she will have a lot to do rebuilding Naboo. This maybe his only chance to talk to her for a long time, so he better find her quickly.

A few moments later, Anakin finds Padmé in an open grassy field, the breeze and the nearly midday sun felt on both their young faces. He quickly but quietly approaches Padmé, so he will not surprise her. The young queen is staring out on to the plains of Naboo with a heavy heart, she knows that many have already died and many more others will die until this conflict is over. Padmé cannot stop the single tear that falls from her eye as she thinks about what will happen and finally comes to terms on what has been going on in her absence. Sometimes being a ruler, especially a young, elected one, can be almost unbearable. Having the power to decide on who will most likely live and who will most likely die weighs on Padmé's conscious heavily. She may not have complete control over the lives of her people, but she does still have a lot of power over their destinies. This was not right, she was elected Queen to keep Naboo in peace, she should not have to risk the lives of her people and tear families apart.

"Padmé?" asks Anakin softly, trying not to frighten the beautiful, yet sad girl queen, "Are you okay?"

"No, Ani, I'm not," answers the distraught Padmé truthfully, "I know you said we will win this battle. And while I do believe you, Master Qui-Gon's right, many more lives will still be lost. I already lost so many people, Ani, and I know it sound selfish and childish, but I don't want anyone else to die for me, protecting me."

"Padmé, you are everything but selfish," states Anakin ,far more passionately than any other nine year old boy could, "You live to help others. You dedicate your life and sacrifice your love trying to do the right thing for others in ways no one else would. I don't believe you could be selfish if you wanted to, so don't say that."

"Padmé, can you keep the nightmare I told you about a secret from everyone else?" asks Anakin after a moment of silence to allow Padmé to absorb what he just told her, "I know it sounds unbelievable, but everything that has happened so far happened exactly like my dream. I don't want anyone else to know cause' it might cause bad things, worse things to happen."

"I promise not to tell anyone about your dreams…your visions, Anakin," promises Padmé sincerely as she looks into Anakin's sapphire eyes and he looks into her own chocolate brown eyes, both filled with determination and something else as of yet undefined. Then she jokingly adds, "Queen's honor."

They both laugh at Padmé's joke, which lightens their moods considerably and allows the queen to let her emotions out before she has to push them aside to fight in the upcoming battle. Just then and seemingly out of nowhere, Master Qui-Gon walks towards them with a very serious expression on his face instead of his more normal neutral expression.

"I am sorry, Your Highness," interrupts Qui-Gon, "But we must be leaving. It is time to face our destinies. Whatever happens is the will of the force, let it guide us on the right path to follow."

The trio heads back to everyone else before joining the group that is going to sneak into Theed.

* * *

Inside the spacious Throne Room in Theed's Palace, the Viceroy Nute Gunray and his legal advisor Rune Haako are speaking with their secret ally, the mysterious Darth Sidious. The room is huge, with giant paned windows that lighten the room naturally and polished stone floors fit for the royalty they were made for. The Viceroy is currently sitting at Amidala's dark wooden desk while Sidious is projected in full size in front of said desk. Lord Sidious, as he is often referred to, hides his true identity beneath a black hood, so that only the bottom of his pale nose and his mouth are visible. Gunray and Haaku look like regal but typical Neimoidians, green skin, Earth frog-like eyes, and no visible nose. Both are cold and ruthless, stopping at nothing to get what they want and to make as much profits as possible for the Trade Federation they are leaders of. Next to the Viceroy and on the opposite side of Haako is the Sith Darth Maul, a multi-horned Zabrak with red and black tattoos covering his face and dressed in all black. He is there to wait for further orders from his master Lord Sidious regarding the Jedi guarding the Queen, since the Jedi are his enemy but he must obey his master's command above all else.

"She is more foolish than I thought," states Sidious, referring to Queen Amidala's attempt to free Naboo from the Trade Federation herself, without the help of the Senate.

"We are sending all available troops to meet this army of hers assembling near the swamp," announces the Viceroy confidently, "It appears to be made up of primitives. We do not expect much resistance."

"The two Jedi maybe using the Queen for their own purposes," comments Darth Maul.

"The Jedi cannot become involved. Even Qui-Gon Jinn will not break that covenant," states Sidious thoughtfully, "This will work to our advantage."

"I have your approval to proceed then, my Lord?" asks Nute Gunray pathetically.

"Wipe them out," orders the Dark Lord of the Sith, "All of Them."


	3. Ch 2:The Battle of Naboo

_**Star Wars: A Different Choice**_

**Part I: The Phantom Menace**

**Chapter 2: The Battle of Naboo**

As the Gungans fight the massive droid army bravely in the plains of Naboo, Queen Amidala, the two Jedi, Anakin, the guards, and the pilots all sneak into Theed through the secret passageways. They run towards Theed Palace, specifically the Royal Air Hanger, where the Queen and pilots will go their separate ways. The Queen must capture the Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray while the Nubian pilots must destroy the main droid control ship. The two Jedi know they must have very little involvement beyond seeing to the Queen's safety. Inside the hanger are the lemon yellow Royal Nubian N-1 Starfighters the pilots will use during their campaign on the droid control ship. The group is currently just outside the royal hanger, hiding from the droids patrolling the area. Anakin is trying to stay close to the Jedi, but he knows he must get into one of the Starfighters so he can destroy the droid control ship and help them win this battle for Naboo's freedom.

"Once we get inside, Ani," commands Qui-Gon, "You find a safe place to hide and stay there."

"But Master Qui-Gon, sir?" asks Anakin worriedly, "What about you? Will you and the others be okay?" Though Anakin already knows the outcome of the battle they are in, he can not help but remember that the Jedi Master will be dead by the end of the day and the boy tries to get some sense of closure with the Jedi who freed him.

"What ever happens today will be the will of the force," answers Qui-Gon "We all must become one with the force one day, Anakin. We must believe that our lives serve a greater purpose. Remember what I've told you Anakin, you must learn to let go of your fear and anger to give into the force. You are the Chosen one meant to bring balance to our galaxy, never forget the great destiny in store for you."

"I will remember Master Qui-Gon," replies Anakin sadly, saying goodbye to the Jedi Master who gave him so much knowing he will never see this man alive again, "I promise. And thank you, for everything."

* * *

The Jedi are able to open the sliding metal doors of the Royal Air Hanger's main entrance. Inside are at least a hundred sandy-beige, skeletal looking battle droids holding coal black standard Republic blaster guns. The droids open fire as the humans take cover, avoiding as much blaster power as possible and likewise firing vigorously back at their unfeeling enemy. Some droids are capable of feelings, Trade Federation battle droids are not.

"Get to your ships!" orders Amidala in the middle of all the fighting. Quickly, the Nubian pilots each head for a ship. Anakin runs to an empty Starfighter as well, recalling how he was the one to destroy the droid control ship in his dream. He quickly hops into the ship that already has loyal astromech droid R2-D2 hooked up and ready for battle.

"My guess is the Viceroy is in the Throne Room," states the Queen thoughtfully.

"Everybody this way," directs Panaka as he leads the Queen, the guards, and the Jedi out of the hanger and in the quickest direction to the Throne Room.

Qui-Gon tilts his head in the direction of the ship Anakin is "hiding" in. "Anakin, stay where you are," orders the Master Jedi, "You're safe there."

"I will," replies Anakin, though his words have double meaning.

"I mean it," the Jedi urges, "Stay in the cockpit."

* * *

While the Gungans are fighting against the droid army and the Queen is about to leave the hanger, the Nubian Starships are starting to take off and are preparing for their attack on the droid control ship.

* * *

The Queen, her guards, and the two Jedi are about to leave the hanger when the metal sliding doors they were about to open opens on its own. On the opposite side of the door is the Sith lord Darth Maul who is ready to fight his enemy to the death.

"We'll handle this," states Qui-Gon calmly, ready for the mysterious Sith's challenge.

"Come on!" Padmé orders her guards, "We'll take the long way. Hurry, we've got to get out of here!" The Queen and her guards run in the opposite direction, back into the hanger.

* * *

As the Sith and the two Jedi fight in the hallway towards the Generator Room, the Queen and her guards have run back into the hanger form before and head for another entrance to the main palace building. Droidekas, metallic wheel like droids that transform into strong curved fighting droids with powerful blasters and its own shield generators. The destroyers quickly advance on the Queen, appearing to trap her in the hanger.

"Bweep!" beeps R2-D2 in concern for his queen and the boy's safety.

"We've got to get outa here, Artoo!" yells Anakin, "Oh, no! Padmé's trapped! We gotta do something!"

Pressing buttons on the ship's control panel, Anakin activates the lasers. He quickly aims at the droids, allowing Padmé and the others to escape the hanger.

"Breeoo!" shrieks R2-D2 in surprise.

"Wizards, that's cool!" exclaims Anakin joyfully. His joy is short-lived as more destroyer droids enter the hanger. They quickly fire at Anakin's ship as he tries to power it to fly out of the hanger and into the space battle that is currently going on above Naboo.

"Oops!" panics Anakin momentarily, "Shield up! Always on the right…shields always on the right!"

"Aaiee!" screeches R2 as Anakin is finally able to get his ship out of the hanger.

"Oops! I've pushed something," exclaims Anakin.

"Bweep!" beeps the silver and navy blue metallic astromech droid nervously.

"I'm not doing anything!" yells the boy angrily, "It's on autopilot. Try to override it!"

* * *

Meanwhile the Gungans are being over powered by the droids, many having already been killed or are dying.

* * *

At the palace, the Queen and her guards are having to take cover from the droids who have discovered their presence, wasting their precious time. The longer this campaign takes, the more lives will be lost.

"We don't have time for this Captain!" scolds Amidala angrily as Panaka keeps firing at the droids while they both hide behind one of the pillars in the palace main hallway.

* * *

Above Naboo, droid fighter ships and royal fighter ships battle each other. So far the Nubian ships are making no progress in destroying the control ship. Anakin finally catches up to his comrades. He is still trying to get his ship off of autopilot.

"Whoo boy!" This is tense!" comments Anakin excitedly.

"Bweep?" asks the loyal droid.

"Yes, I've got control," answers Anakin happily, "You did it Artoo!"

"Vreet-doop!" the astromech droid squeals.

"Go back? Qui-Gon told me to stay in this cockpit and that's what I'm gonna do," Anakin announces to his droid friend, "Now c'mon, we've got a control ship to blow up!"

* * *

Back on the Naboo Plain, the battle of the Gungans versus the battle droids rages on. Jar Jar Binks accidentally releases some dangerous energy orbs that hit the oncoming enemy directly, taking out a few droids and their weapon ships.

* * *

In the palace, Amidala and her guards are still heading for the Throne Room. Unfortunately they have been discovered and are trapped fighting the droids as they run out of time. Panaka clears the way for a sneak attack on the Throne Room.

"Go!" orders Panaka as he blows up one of the palace's extremely large glass windows, everyone ducking for cover as the glass shatters into a million razor sharp pieces and the thick dark gray smoke from the explosive clears off.

Without question the guards and Padmé step onto the ledge outside the broken palace window carefully and use their ascension guns to scale up the outside of the palace and onto the next floor, propelling themselves up towards the Throne Room.

* * *

While above the planet, the battle to destroy the main droid control ship continues. Bright red and orange explosions and lime green blaster fire disturb the peace of the ink black, sugary white star speckled expanse of space.

"Their deflector shield is too strong!" warns a Nubian pilot.

* * *

At the same time in another Royal Starfighter, Anakin is still trying to get a handle of the ship's controls.

"Which one?" asks Anakin out loud, trying to figure out the controls, "This one?"

"Whoaa!" yells Anakin as he notices an enemy ship is firing directly at him.

"Be-weooo!" shrieks R2-D2.

"I know we're in trouble!" Anakin yells, "Just hang on!" One blaster shot misses Anakin by mere centimeters, hitting the surface of the control ship instead.

* * *

Back on the once peaceful planet, the battle between the Jedi and the Sith lord rages into the Generator Room. This room is an extremely dangerous place for a fight because it has several large and deep chasms were one can fall to their death if they are not careful. The deepest chasm is the main generator core in the center of the room, an unforgiving, bottom-less pit.

The two Jedi, dressed in the standard Jedi attire, dark leather boots, light brown tunics and pants, remove their heavy dark brown robes as they charge at the Sith. Darth Maul wears his typical all coal black outfit, but removes his hooded cloak. Qui-Gon wields his lime green lightsaber while Obi-Wan Kenobi wields his sky blue lightsaber. Unlike the two Jedi, Darth Maul is wielding a blood red, double bladed lightsaber. Each lightsaber is unique to its wielder yet all three are a silver, metallic handle for their blades that when activated can cut through almost everything.

Blue and green meet red as the lightsabers make a crackling sound when hit against each other. The fight forces all three combatants into the room's containment beams that separate them and provides a brief pause in their battle.

* * *

At the palace, Amidala and the guards break through one of the Throne Room's windows. Unfortunately, they are surrounded by the skeletal battle droids and are forced to surrender.

"Put down your weapons," orders Padmé in her Queen voice, "They win this round."

* * *

Back in the space battle, Anakin's ship continues to be attacked by enemy fire.

"Bweep!" squeals R2-D2 loudly.

"We're hit!" cries Anakin as he tries to land his Starfighter in what to appears to be one of the droid control ship's hangers.

"Vreeee!" screeches the astromech droid as Anakin successfully lands his ship in the hanger.

"We made it, Artoo. I think this is the droid control ship," states Anakin happily, his mood changes to panic as he realizes his ship is not working, "Everything's overheated! Oops. This is not good!"

"Beewoo!" replies R2 nervously, "Beewoo!"

* * *

In the metallic, chrome Generator Room, the containment beam falls from between Qui-Gon and the Sith lord. Their battle resumes as Obi-Wan is still trapped and can only watch as his master is stabbed in the chest and abdomen by Darth Maul.

"No!" cries Obi-Wan loudly as he watches his master falls to the ground with an echoing thud sound.

* * *

Meanwhile on the grassy and blood-soaked Naboo Plains, the Gungans appear to be losing to the seemingly never-ending droid army.

"No suckin' up, General Jar Jar!" yells the old Gungan warrior Captain Tarpals.

"Noticing that they are surrounded by battle droids, and with all their energy shields destroyed, Jar Jar ignores Tarpals, raising his long scaly orange arms in the air above his head, shouting, "I give up! Wesa surrender!"

* * *

In the palace Throne Room, the Trade Federation troops appear to have the upper hand as well.

"Your little insurrection is at an end, Your Highness," Viceroy Gunray addresses Padmé condescendingly, "Time for you to sign the treaty. And end this pointless debate in the Senate."

Suddenly Sabé, who is still dressed as the queen, and at least a dozen more royal guards walk into the Throne Room, surprising the Viceroy.

"Viceroy, your occupation here has ended!" commands Sabé in a perfect queen voice and with the confidence she had lacked earlier when she confronted the Gungans.

"After her!" yells Gunray, convinced by the decoy's appearance and attitude that she is the real queen, "This one is a decoy!"

The momentary shift in the Viceroy's attention from away from Padmé has allowed the queen to sneak into her desk and throne, grabbing two sleek silver Royal Nubian blasters that she had hidden in there. After throwing a blaster to Captain Panaka, they both aim at and fire on the droids, successfully taking them out until all that is left is the Viceroy and Haako. The guards easily bound them up and allow the real queen to address them.

"Now Viceroy," orders the real Queen Amidala menacingly in her full, cold queen voice, "We will discuss a new treaty."

* * *

Having cleared himself from the containment beams, Obi-Wan rushes to defend his fallen Master. Blue on red, Obi-Wan's lightsaber blade smacks against Darth Maul's lightsaber. In the process, the padawan damages the Sith's lightsaber, rendering only one half of it usable, more like an average single bladed lightsaber. In retaliation, Maul roughly kicks Obi-Wan in the stomach, the force pushing the young Jedi into the main generator core. Nearly falling to his death, Obi-Wan barely holds on to the side of the core's inner wall, the wind tunnel trying to pull him down. Unable to hold himself with one hand, Obi-Wan drops his lightsaber and it falls deep into the core and long out of reach, the blue light fading as it falls into the dark abyss of the core.

* * *

Meanwhile aboard the droid control ship above Naboo's atmosphere, Anakin's ship regains power. The Starfighter's power returns just in time as over twenty droids try to surround the boy.

"Yes…this should stop'em!" exclaims Anakin thoughtfully, "Shields up! Take this!"

The boy begins firing at the clueless droids. Remembering his dream, Anakin realizes that he is not just in any hanger, he is in a hanger for the control ship's main reactor room. He must destroy this room to destroy the rest of the ship.

"And this!" Anakin yells as he fires his torpedoes into the room. The torpedoes explode, causing a deadly chain reaction.

* * *

In the droid control ship's main control room, a non-droid crew member warns his non-droid captain about the ship's reactor problems.

"Sir, we're losing power," the ship's engineer warns, "There is some malfunction in the main reactor."

"Impossible!" yells the captain incredulously. Both are silenced forever as their room explodes.

* * *

Outside the droid control ship, the Nubian pilots are surprised at seeing the explosions from within the control ship.

"It's blowing up from the inside!" exclaims one Nubian pilot, "What happened?"

"I don't know," another pilot answers, "We didn't hit it."

* * *

Anakin pilots his ship out of the control ship as the explosions race after him.

"We did it, Artoo!" yells Anakin joyfully, "Now this is pod racing! Whoopee!"

* * *

A Nubian pilot notices as one of their ships escapes the droid control ship before the control ship blows up completely.

"Look! One of ours!" shouts the pilot to the others, "Outa the main hold!"

All the Royal Starfighters fly back to their home planet, hoping that their Queen was able to capture the Viceroy and regain control of Naboo.

* * *

Back in the Generator Room, Obi-Wan holds onto the core's wall, one slip away from death. Darth Maul stands over the ledge of the core, staring down at the pathetic Jedi he is about to kill. Looking at his unconscious, but still alive at the moment, Master, Obi-Wan focuses on the force. He uses all of his force abilities to call Qui-Gon's lightsaber to his hand. With the aid of the force, Obi-Wan leaps from the endless pit and halves the Sith lord with the his masters lime green lightsaber in one, swift movement. Darth Maul's body falls into the dark chasm as Obi-Wan runs to his fallen Master. Unfortunately, Qui-Gon has been mortally wounded and they do not have the supplies nor the time to save the Jedi Master.

"Master!" Obi-Wan cries out, "Master!"

"It's too late," mutters the dying Jedi painfully, "It's…"

"No!" yells Obi-Wan helplessly.

"Obi-Wan…Promise…Promise me you'll train the boy…" pleads Qui-Gon with his last breaths, "He is the chosen one…He will…bring balance…Train him…"

With that last statement, Qui-Gon breaths his last breath, dying in his padawan's arms. Obi-Wan does nothing to hide his tears nor the pain he is feeling from losing his master, his mentor, his best friend.

* * *

With the destruction of their control ship, the droids on the Naboo Plain begin to malfunction, freeing their Gungan captives.

"But, Mesa do a nutin!" states a confused Jar Jar, as he kicks a deactivated droid.

* * *

Later near the palace's main entrance, the new Chancellor of the Galactic Republic returns to his home planet to personally escort Viceroy Gunray out of Naboo and to the Senate. The old white-haired, blue eyed gentleman appears kind and benevolent in his dark blue robes, but he hides his true dark identity from everyone, planning on ruling the Galaxy permanently one day in the near future.

"Viceroy, you are going back to the Senate and explain all of this," orders Queen Amidala coldly, she is dressed regally again with an elaborate black and gold robe, impossible and artistic hairstyle, and clown white make up with the two wine red dots on each cheek and the red lip make up symbolizing the time of Naboo's great suffering.

"I think you can kiss your trade franchise goodbye," comments Captain Panaka.

"Congratulations on your election, Chancellor," addresses Amidala regally but warmly.

"Your boldness has saved our people, Your Majesty. It is you who should be congratulated," Palpatine states proudly, "Together, we shall bring peace and prosperity to the Republic."


	4. Ch 3:Qui-Gon's Funeral

_**Star Wars: A Different Choice**_

**Part I: The Phantom Menace **

**Chapter 3: Qui-Gon Jinn's Funeral**

The brilliant, clear blue sky changes to tones of gold and scarlet as Naboo's singular sun sets on the horizon. Surviving Gungans and humans now freed from their prison camps have begun cleaning up their dead, a tragic consequence for liberating the peaceful planet from the Trade Federation's malicious actions. While they are happy for their regained freedom and the return of their queen, the citizens of Naboo are also mourning the loss of loved ones who died or were killed during the blockade, the occupation, or in the battle of Naboo, which had taken place mere hours ago.

* * *

In Theed, Naboo's capitol city, the preparations for the funeral ceremony of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn are taking place. The Jedi Master was killed in the battle of Naboo earlier that same day when he was mortally wounded by the Sith Darth Maul. Qui-Gon had died in his padawan's arms soon after Obi-Wan Kenobi had defeated the Sith. Several Jedi, including Masters Yoda and Mace Windu, and other dignitaries travel to Naboo to witness Qui-Gon's funeral that will take place later that same evening. Obi-Wan has spoken very little after the death of his Master, only talking when he is officially ordered to like when he had to address the Jedi Council about Qui-Gon's death with the queen's holo projector.

* * *

Anakin Skywalker returns to Theed Palace only to be mobbed by the surviving Nubian pilots who gather around his ship, ready to greet, congratulate, and thank their newest hero, Naboo's hero. Since Naboo 's culture and laws values its youths at nearly the same level as adults and the elderly, the Nubian pilots are not shocked and only a little bit surprised that their savor is a little boy, as they were the same people who elected a fourteen year old girl to be their queen. Anakin is overwhelmed by all the cheers and positive attention he is receiving from his fellow pilots, trying to hang onto all the happiness as long as possible. The boy is already aware that he will later be attending a funeral to a great mentor who had freed him from slavery and gave him hope to live his dreams.

Speaking of dreams, Anakin has so far done nothing to change his visions from becoming true. However, he knows that at the funeral he must make a difficult, but different choice than the one from his nightmare. If he stays on the path he is on now, the boy will become a great Jedi, then secretly marry his true love, then fall to the dark side from the pressures of his conflicting duties and worries and will hurt the one he loves the most. However, the boy had also wanted to learn how to control his powers and help others in a way that only the Jedi could help him. While Anakin promised Qui-Gon that he will learn to use the force to fulfill the ancient prophecy he is part of, he never promised to become a JedI, though it was what he had wanted before his life-altering vision. Anakin wonders if there are any JedI who might train him to use the force without actually becoming an official Jedi. He hopes that by not being a traditional Jedi and by not following their strict code, he can prevent events that will lead him to the darkside. The accuracy of his visions when it came to the battle of Naboo have caused Anakin to doubt in his abilities to change and lighten his dark destiny. Anakin must change his fate, for Padmé's sake if not his own.

Padmé Amidala, the girl queen who haunts his every thought. She is a living angel, the only light in his increasingly darkening existence. How could he ever harm her when she and his mother were the only two people who he had ever really loved? How could he ever lose faith in her, doubt her when she is the only one who still believes in him after all the wrong he will do? If Anakin can change just one thing in his future it would be how he treated Padmé. Anakin vows that she will never know the pain of his force choke, the heartbreak from his fall to the darkside, nor will she ever feel his wraith of his accusations for anything. If Padmé still must die before him, he will not let it be his fault. He will let her go, even if it kills him in the process.

Even though all Anakin wants to do in this moment is find Padmé and give her a tight hug, he knows she is too busy right now. He may have to wait a long time before she will have time to spend with him again as Padmé, not Queen Amidala. As soon as they are reunited and alone together, Anakin has decided to tell Padmé his entire vision in more detail and hopes that she wont hate him afterwards. Anakin couldn't blame her if she does hate him for what he did to her in his nightmare, he could only blame himself as the future Obi-Wan had told him.

* * *

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn's funeral is solemn and peaceful. The golden yellow light from the pyre interrupts the dark, rare moonless night, as none of Naboo's three moons are in position to be seen in the inky blue-black night sky, powdery white stars shimmering in the distance. Anakin stands next to Obi-Wan with the Queen standing next to the young Jedi and the Chancellor standing next to the Queen. The other mourners fade in the background as they watch Qui-Gon's body burn, his dull grey ashes and the bright orange flames from the fire of the funeral pyre float into the dark atmosphere.

"What will happen to me now?" whispers Anakin to himself, though loud enough for Obi-Wan to hear him.

Thinking that the boy was asking him the question, Obi-Wan quietly announces, "The Council has granted me permission to train you."

"Master Obi-Wan, I don't want to be a Jedi," states Anakin sadly but forcefully, "Is there any other way you could train to use the force other than by being a Jedi?"

"Why the change of mind, young one?" asks Obi-Wan curiously, "You seemed eager to become a Jedi back on the queen's ship. Isn't that why you decided to come with us and left your home behind?"

"It's more like a change of heart," answers Anakin passionately, the amount of emotion surprising the now Master-less padawan, "The Jedi are not allowed to have loved ones, they see them as attachments and attachments are forbidden by their code. I can't live without the people I love, Obi-Wan, it would tear me apart and push me to the darkside."

"I promised my Master that I would train you," states Obi-Wan conflictingly, "But I do not believe the Council will let me train you if you choose not to became a JedI. Are you sure of your choice Anakin?"

"I'm sorry Obi-Wan," Anakin replies sadly, "but I will not become a Jedi, not if it means abandoning those I care about."

Obi-Wan shifts his attention away from Anakin, who is still dressed in the sandy tan desert rags from Tatooine, back to the last remnants of his now former master. He wonders how the Council will react to the boy's decision and if there is a way to train Anakin how to use the force in another way, a way that the chosen one will agree to.

* * *

Meanwhile a few people away from Anakin and Obi-Wan are the two Jedi Masters and Council members Yoda and Mace Windu. Yoda is a wise and sometimes humorous old Jedi with emerald-green wrinkly skin, has a short, small stature body size that is hunched over with age that causes him to use a wooden walking stick, and has two distinguishingly big, point ears. Jedi Master Mace Windu is far younger than Yoda and is a dark skinned human with a deep voice, cold personality, and tall stature. They are investigating the identity of the Sith who Obi-Wan had defeated.

"There is not doubt. The mysterious warrior is a Sith," states Master Windu in his deep emotionless voice.

"Always two there are…no more…no less," acknowledges Master Yoda, speaking from centuries of experience with the force, "A Master and his Apprentice."

"But which one was destroyed," asks Master Windu thoughtfully, "The Master or the Apprentice?"


	5. Ch 4: Relaxation at Last?

_**Star Wars: A Different Choice**_

**Part I: The Phantom Menace**

**Chapter 4: Relaxation at Last?**

With Master Qui-Gon Jinn's funeral officially over, Obi-Wan heads out into one of the queen's meeting rooms to speak with Master Yoda in private. The ancient Jedi Master could easily sense the dark side clouding Anakin's future should the boy be trained as an official Jedi knight, yet Yoda could not deny that the boy needed training to use the force and that young Skywalker might indeed be the chosen one destined to bring balance to the troubled galaxy. What the Jedi Grand Master does not know is that Anakin has decided that he does not want to become a Jedi in spite of the Council's decision to allow Obi-Wan to take the boy on as an apprentice.

"Confer on you the level of Jedi Knight the Council does," announces Yoda, "But agree with your taking this boy as your Padawan learner, I do not."

"Master Yoda, Anakin does not wish to become a Jedi," Obi-Wan reveals, "But he does want to be trained in the ways of the force. He must be the Chosen One. Qui-Gon believed in him. I believe in Qui-Gon."

"Hmm…Agree with the boy I do," states Yoda thoughtfully, "But allow him to be trained the Council only does if a Jedi he is."

"Master Yoda, I gave Qui-Gon my word. I will train Anakin," argues Obi-Wan defiantly, "Without the approval of the Council, if I must."

"Qui-Gon's defiance I sense in you," states the old Jedi Master, "Need that you will. Agree to this the Council will not."

"Then I will request a meeting with the Council and leave for Corescant in a couple of days," announces the newly knighted Jedi, "I need some time to meditate and clear my mind. In about a week's time I will speak to the Council about my request to train Anakin unofficially, outside the boundaries of the Jedi Code."

"Problems with our Code, the boy has?" asks Master Yoda.

"Yes Master, that is why he is unwilling to become a JedI," Obi-Wan replies, "He was raised by his mother and has strong feelings towards the queen as well. Attachments such as these are forbidden by the Jedi Code."

"Speak with the Council on your and the boy's behalf I will," announces Yoda, "Tell them I will of what you said. Decide on this change of events, the Council must."

"Of course, Master," Obi-Wan agrees, "Now if you'll excuse me, I've had quite an eventful day and think I'll retire for the night. And thank you for speaking with me on such short notice."

"You need not thank me Kenobi," friendly replies Master Yoda, "Looking to speak with you also I was."

* * *

With the long day that felt more like weeks finally ending, Anakin is lying down on a bed in one of the queen's private guest rooms. The room is a splash of different shades of green, which compliment it to the various shades of red and gold color theme that is throughout the majority of Theed Palace. The queen had her handmaidens give him fresh night clothes, which he is wearing at the moment. Before the boy had changed into his mint green long sleeved night shirt and matching sleep pants, Anakin had removed the rags he had worn in slavery and taken his very first bath, with the help of some male royal servants to protect the boy's privacy. He had never been exposed to so much luxury, comfort, and water. Yet lying in the soft bed, the boy could not sleep.

All he could think about was Padmé and how much he missed her even though he last saw her only an hour or two ago at the funeral ceremony. She was Queen Amidala there though, not his Angel Padmé. It feels to him like the nightmare and the talk they had after Padmé had woken him up was a life-time ago, but it was really only just that same morning.

Closing his eyes, Anakin can no longer fight his exhaustion. He finally lets go of his worries for the time being and drifts off to sleep…

* * *

In the queen's main dressing room, the handmaidens are helping Padmé prepare for bed. All wearing the same sleeveless style nightgowns, the girls each wear their favorite color: Padmé wears baby blue, Sabé wears lavender, Eritaé wears baby pink, Dormé wears pale orange, Saché wears mint green, and Yané wears pastel yellow. While in public they are all professional and always wear matching complimentary outfits, in private the girls are close friends who tease each other and wear different colors in between formal outfits.

Having lost the election of Queen of Naboo to Padmé, Eritaé does her best to get her "revenge" by teasing the queen and getting the other handmaidens to join in. Padmé appreciates the genuine friendship her handmaidens have offered the young teen, more youngling than teen really, and the girl queen does not usually mind their teasing, often finding it annoying but endearing. Unlike Sabé and the other handmaidens, Eritaé has honey blonde hair and sky blue eyes, though she still greatly physically resembles Padmé and is always the second choice as the Queen's decoy. All her life it seems that Eritaé is always second best, the runner-up, but she does not really mind her position. The blonde girl has no grudge against her rival but she does enjoy messing with her good friend every once and awhile, when the situation was not serious. Like now, actually.

"Hey Padmé," asks Eritaé as she removes the queen's elaborate face-paint, "Have you met the boy who destroyed the droid control ship?"

"Eritaé, we all met him before…" Padmé starts to reply.

"I heard he was some blonde guy from off-planet and that he's the greatest pilot in the galaxy!" Sabé comments excitingly, interrupting Padmé.

"Well, he is blonde…" agrees Padmé, "But…"

"I heard he was cute," interrupts Dormé shyly. Eritaé loves the look of anger and jealousy on the normally stoic and calm queen's face.

Truthfully, only Padmé knew that Anakin was the pilot that destroyed the control ship. The handmaidens were only restating rumors they had heard around them. It just so happens that Eritaé is more observant and calculating than her fellow handmaidens and has noticed the queen's well hidden feelings, using her evidence to torture the girl for the non-stop hard work they have all been doing since the whole Trade Federation fiasco began weeks ago.

"I heard that too," Eritaé agrees, though she is really lying, "And I saw how all the female pilots and nearly all the girls in Theed were all over him."

"Enough!" yells Padmé angrily in her queen voice, "Anakin was the pilot who blew up the droid control ship. You all have met him already, he's the boy staying in the green guest room, the one who got the parts we needed for the ship and came with us to Corescant."

"Oh…" states Eritaé deviously, "Hey you guys, Padmé's got a crush on little Ani Skywalker!"

"Eritaé!" screams Padmé furiously, glad that the walls in the palace were sound proof to prevent echoes in everywhere except the hallways.

"I knew it!" loudly exclaims the normally shy, quiet Dormé. The handmaiden receives awkward stares sent her way from around the room as everyone goes silent for a moment. Dormé makes a loud cough and takes a deep breath.

"I mean, what?" corrects Dormé with a blush in her normal soft-spoken voice.

"Maybe they're soul mates," Sabé romantically comments, "Like in the myths we always read about in our studies in the Legislative Youth Program. Age doesn't matter to Anakin and Padmé because they always have and always will love each other!"

"Sabé, you're thinking too much into this," states Padmé unconvincingly, "Anakin and I are just friends."

"Yeah, really good friends," comments Saché suspiciously, "You and him seem to be a little too close for only knowing each other for a few days."

"You both act as though you've both known each other your whole lives," adds Yané.

At the same time Eritaé has taken advantage of Padmé being distracted and is conspiring with two of her fellow handmaidens to embarrass the queen further. The queen will never be able to forget what they are about to do to her.

"You know what they say, Padmé," states Eritaé with false innocence. Padmé stares at the blonde in horror, anticipating the hated younglinghood song that they would tease each other with when they were all school girls together.

Then Eritaé, Sabé, and surprisingly Dormé break into the dreaded girlhood song.

"First comes love. Than comes marriage. Than comes a baby in a hover carriage," the three teens sing loudly and annoyingly high pitched, off-key, and in unison. Eritaé adds, "Knowing Padmé and her surprises she'll probably have twins or something."

"Stop it!" cries Padmé, who is continues to blush madly, "I do not love Anakin!"

"De-ni-al!" the three treacherous handmaidens tease, the other two girls snickering then giggling along too.

"Oh, shut-up!" states the queen too tired and aggravated to fight back anymore that night.

With that Padmé walks out of the dressing room, hearing her handmaidens, now all in unison tease, "Goodnight, Mrs. Skywalker!"

* * *

Not long after her "handmaiden bonding time," Padmé closes the door to her bedroom in her private wing, which also included the green guest room Anakin was staying in. When the monarchy of Naboo was originally inherited, the wing Padmé was currently occupying was the actual living quarters of the immediate royal family. Some elected monarchs have also had their families live with them in the palace until their term was up, but not Padmé.

Often plagued with strange nightmares in spite of her peaceful, loving upbringing, Padmé from an early age had the feeling that something bad was going to happen to her family…and that it would be her fault. Worried that her chosen career in politics and public service would make her nightmares become reality, Padmé has went to great lengths to protect her family's anonymous identity. Taking the regal surname, as many Nubian politicians before her, of Amidala, Padmé has kept her real family name a secret to all but the most trusted people.

Though she has not seen her family since her election of queen several months ago, Padmé knows she must wait until Naboo is more stable again before having one of her handmaidens be her decoy for awhile so that the overworked girl could visit her family in peace. She hopes that they are okay and were mostly unharmed by the Trade Federation droids.

Lying in her bed, the girl queen thinks about Anakin and how much she misses him already. If he does become a Jedi, Padmé knows she is going to be miserable but could never stop the boy from living his dreams, no matter how torn up it makes her feel. Padmé has decided that whether Anakin chooses to be a Jedi or not, he will always have a home, a place to belong, on Naboo…even if its not with her.

Completely worn-out by the stressful and eventful day, as soon as Padmé closes her eyes she is fully asleep…

_ Padmé opens her eyes and the first thing she notices is that she is not in her bedroom anymore. Instead she is standing in a dark, dull brown and evergreen forest with tall trees not native to Naboo. The young queen is wondering what is going on and why she is in this strange place. Wearing only her baby blue sleeveless nightgown from before she fell asleep, Padmé suddenly feels self-conscious._

_ The sky above her is still dark and her surroundings are empty, appearing uninhabited. Her mind adjusting to this new, mysterious place, the queen continues to try to figure out where she is, knowing that she is not just no longer in Theed Palace anymore, but completely gone from Naboo to some other planet or moon that she has never been to before. Padmé notices that she hears but does not feel the cool breeze of the night air and sees but can not feel the cold dirt on her bare feet. Looking at her hands for a moment and then attempting to pick up a random rock off of the ground, Padmé realizes that not only is she transparent, but also that she can not touch anything, anything at all. She feels like the force ghosts she had read about as a youngling. _

_ "Am I dead?" asks Padmé out loud, worriedly. _


	6. Ch 5:One Possible Future

_**Star Wars: A Different Choice**_

**Part I: The Phantom Menace**

**Chapter 5: One Possible Future**

_ "Am I dead?" asks Padmé out loud._

_ "Padmé!" yells Anakin happily but surprised to see the girl queen. The boy, like Padmé, is also transparent and still dressed in his mint night clothes. He goes to hug her but then remembers that he can not touch anything or anyone in his visions, which this appears to be another one of if not a continuation of the previous dream. Unlike in his nightmare from before, the Padmé from his own time appears to be with him, why else would she also be transparent and be able to communicate with him. _

_ "Ani, did we die?" asks Padmé worriedly, more worried for the boy's safety than her own and also wondering why she seems to be a force-ghost, "Were we attacked? Where are we?"_

_ "Padmé, we're not dead," replies Anakin confidently, he is sure that this is another force influenced dream, "Not yet anyway. And I don't know where we are."_

_ "You sound like this has happened to you before," Padmé observes, trying to calm her nerves._

_ "It has. This is like my nightmare from before the battle, the one about my…our future," replies the boy thoughtfully, "Only last time I was by myself. Now that I told you about it, maybe that's why you're here with me now?"_

_ "Our future, Anakin?" asks a confused Padmé, "What do you mean by that? What happens to us that had you wailing in your sleep like you did. All you kept saying was no, no to what?"_

_ "If I become a Jedi, Padmé," states Anakin sadly, crying he continues with, "I'll turn to the dark side and it will cause you to die…I cause you to die!"_

_ "Ani!" cries the queen as she tries to comfort the crying boy by taking him into her arms, noticing that in these visions they can touch each other, if nothing else, "You're a great person. You wont turn to the dark side and I'm not going to die that way."_

_ "I wish I could believe you," hiccups Anakin, "But I saw it for myself. You die and in a way, I die too."_

_ "What happens to you…" asks Padmé nervously, coloring draining from her transparent face, "…After…I… die?"_

_ "I blame my old master for your death and fight him," the boy answers, "And I lose. I nearly die. My body's so badly damaged I have to wear a black, droid like body suit to live." _

_ "That's horrible!" cries Padmé as she hugs Anakin tightly. _

_ "I'm not gonna let that future happen Padmé," Anakin declares, "I'm not gonna let my fears and anger ever harm you. I promise."_

_ "Your nightmare," asks the girl sadly, "It's coming true, isn't it?"_

_ "So far, yes, it has," the boy replies, "But I wanted part of it to come true…like how we won the battle today. My dream started out good but everything went bad after I went with Obi-Wan to become a Jedi."_

_ As they are talking, Padmé and Anakin have been walking through the forest moon of Endor, though they have no idea where or even when they are. Suddenly they stumble upon a military base surrounded by masked, face-less soldiers in identical pearly white armor, all holding standard coal black blasters._

_ "Padmé, you don't have to hide," informs the boy as he grabs the girls hands in his own, causing her to blush, "This really is another vision from the future. Don't worry, they can't hear, feel, or see us."_

_ "What are they?" asks Padmé, releasing one of her hands to point towards the Imperial stormtroopers._

_ "Padmé, those are the Empire's soldiers," Anakin answers uneasily, "The Republic becomes an Empire after a terrible war."_

_ "What!" yells Padmé, she may not trust the corrupt Senate but she could never believe it was powerful enough to go to war, "How could the Republic go to war? They, like Naboo, have no official army."_

_ "They will," the boy replies, "In about ten years from our time. Made up of clones and Jedi. Then the Republic blames the Jedi for the war, re-names itself the Empire, and has all the Jedi labeled as traitors and killed."_

_ "What about you?" Padmé asks hesitantly._

_ "The Emperor is a Sith lord and he is the one who turns me to the dark side if I become a Jedi," reveals Anakin angrily, "I trusted him as a friend and he hurt me, he hurt all of us. He will use someone I love to trick me into turning into a monster with his lies. A monster he calls Darth Vader who kills all the Jedi!"_

_ Both youths stop talking when they hear a faint musical sound in the distance. The troopers do not notice anything amiss, not the sound of faint banging drums nor the footsteps of two dream powered time travelers as the boy and girl walk towards the strange sound completely unnoticed._

_ Anakin and Padmé walk into a primitive camp or village, with huts above their heads in the large woodland trees. They close their eyes for a brief moment only to open them and discover that they are now on one of the platforms that connect the huts together in the tress high above the ground. The queen and the pilot walk towards one of the near-by huts, locating the sounds from earlier that are now a lot louder. They also hear new sounds, including the voice of a familiar protocol droid, a very familiar protocol droid ._

_ "That sounds like C-3P0!" exclaims Anakin. _

_ They both look into the open doorway of the hut that they hear the sounds coming from. Inside the large hut is a colorful mass of numerous fuzzy teddy bear like creatures, some wearing leather cowls and holding primitive spears of wood and stone. Padmé and Anakin walk through the crowd, which makes both feel uneasy, until they can see two droids. They see one a gold protocol droid and the other one a familiar royal Nubian astromech droid._

_ "Look, it's Artoo!" states Padmé happily, "And that other droid looks like C-3P0 with more parts."_

_ "He definitely sounds the same," agrees the boy with a smile._

_ Anakin and Padmé look past the droids, C-3P0 apparently telling a story in a primitive dialect, when they notice three seemingly out of place humans, two men and a woman. They also notice a brown haired Wookiee the humans call "Chewbacca." One man looks like he is the oldest in the group with dark hair and eyes, having a rugged and lean but muscular tall body with a cocky but endearing expression. The younger man looks like an older version of Anakin, with short blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes, and is referred to as "Luke" by the other humans and "Master Luke" by C-3P0. The woman, wearing a dress made of natural cloth, her hair hung loose with the hint of braids near her face, looks exactly like Padmé and could pass for one of the queen's handmaidens. Luke refers to her as "Leia" and the other man, Han, calls her "Princess." _

_ "Those two, Luke and Leia," suggests Padmé thoughtfully, "Look like us, but older."_

_ "I've never seen them before. They weren't in my other vision," comments Anakin pensively, "But this still feels like exactly the same future as before, only even further in time. I didn't change anything yet!"_

_ "Do you think we're related to them?" asks the queen curiously, though she herself feels a strong connection with them. Could they be siblings, brother and sister…_

_ "I dunno," answers the boy, "Maybe."_

_ They notice Luke walk out of the hut with a sad, conflicting expression on his face. The princess follows him with visible concern. _

_ "Luke is a Jedi!" Anakin states hopefully, "They aren't all dead after all."_

_ "Come on, Ani," Padmé calls as she leaves the hut with Anakin and they follow Princess Leia, "I want to see what Luke and Leia are up to. I feel like they are about to say something important, something we should know."_

_ Holding hands out of fear of losing each other, Anakin and Padmé continue to follow Luke and Leia out to an empty walkway. The boy and girl from another time and place look on as the man and woman reveal some unsettling information about them all._

_ "Luke…?" calls out Leia, her long brown hair swinging in the night breeze, "Luke, what's wrong?"_

_ "Everything, I'm afraid…Or nothing," replies the blonde haired man thoughtfully, "Maybe things are finally going to be the way they are __meant__ to be." _

_ "Leia, do you remember your mother? Your real mother?" asks Luke desperately, "Tell me what you remember…__tell__ me, please."_

_ "S-She died when I was very young. I only recall a little…feelings rather than images really. She was very beautiful, gentle and kind…but sad," replies Leia truthfully, "Why are you asking me __this__?"_

_ Padmé can not help but feel like these strangers were talking about her, that she was their absent mother. Just how far into the future is she right now? The queen can hardly believe all of this to be possible, but the force was somehow showing her the future children she might have someday. Only, something was wrong, well a lot of things seemed wrong to the still fourteen year old queen at the moment. Not sure what to think, Padmé continues to watch the conversation, hoping for more answers to her many questions. Luke's response to Leia's question causes a great sense of pain and regret in the girl queen, like she had somehow failed, or will fail actually, both of her children._

_ "I have no memory of my mother," answers Luke sadly, "I never knew her."_

_ Anakin also feels connected to Luke and Leia, though recalling his previous force-induced vision it seems like the boy is hesitant to believe that even in a future where he killed Padmé, their children will somehow survive. This must be a continuation of his previous dream that was interrupted by Padmé waking him up, but why was she here with him this time? Why must she suffer the pain he will cause, he knew she was innocent…he believes she is innocent in this madness that he himself will cause. It breaks the boy's heart hearing Luke and Leia, twins he realizes, have grown up seemingly apart from one another and without their mother. And it was all his fault. Anakin glances at Padmé for a second, unsure how much she knew about what is going on._

_ "Luke, what is it?" asks Leia worriedly, "What's troubling you?"_

_ "Darth Vader is here on this moon. Leia…I can feel his presence. But he can also feel mine. As long as I'm with you…I endanger the whole group and our mission," announces Luke sadly, "He's come for me and I have to face him."_

_ "It's not going to be easy for you to hear this…but you must. I might not come back. And if I don't make it…You're the only one I trust," Luke reveals, "He's my father, Leia. Darth Vader is my __father__."_

_ "Your father…?" states Leia in disbelief, "Don't talk that way, Luke! You must survive. I do what I can, but I'm of no importance without you…I'm nothing, it's you…I've seen it. You have a power I don't understand and could __never__ have." _

_ "You're wrong, Leia. The rebellion will go on long after I'm gone. The force is strong in my __family__, Leia. My father has it. I have it," the dark clothed Jedi reveals, his unwavering eyes convincing Leia that Luke is telling her the truth, "And my __sister__ has it. Yes, you Leia!" _

_ "I know," comments Leia distantly, her mind momentarily in the past, "Somehow, I've always known."_

_ "Believe me, Leia…and believe I must go to Darth Vader. I'm the only one who can __save__ him."_

_ "No, run away Luke…__far__ away! If he can feel your presence than leave this place!" Leia pleads desperately, afraid to lose her long-lost brother and close friend, "I wish I could go __with__ you!"_

_ "No, you don't. You've never faltered, Leia. When Han and I and others doubted, you've always been strong…never turned away from your responsibility. I can't say the same," Luke proudly states, "Well, now we're both going to fulfill our destiny."_

_ "Luke, __why__?" asks Leia dejectedly, "Why must you confront him?"_

_ "There's __good__ in him. I've felt it. He wont turn me over to the Emperor," reveals Luke hopefully, "I can turn him back to the good side. I have to __try__, Leia. He's our __father__."_

_ Tears glisten in the eyes of the princess, but she senses there is nothing more to be said. Gently, Luke embraces her, trying to comfort his long hidden sibling._

_ "Goodbye, sweet Leia," states Luke sadly._

_ "Be safe, Luke," Leia replies mournfully, "May the force be with you."_

_ As Luke walks away from Leia and into the misty night, Padmé and Anakin are clinging tightly to each other, tears flowing out of both of their eyes. They wait until Leia and Han, who had just walked out as Luke left, go back inside the hut before speaking again. _

_ "Oh Ani, what are we going to do?" asks Padmé trembling, "This is more than just some dream or vision. We're actually experiencing a part of our future…our children's future. And its beyond terrible, it's horrifying!"_

_ "I only know what I'm not going to do, Padmé," replies a determined Anakin, seeming years older, "I'm not gonna become a Jedi Knight and I'm never going to hurt you or join the dark side."_

_ "Anakin, why do I not know my own children nor they know me in this future?" asks the queen in her regal voice._

_ "It seems like Luke and Leia are raised separately from each other to protect them from the Emperor…and from me," Anakin replies shamefully, "You will die like I told you and the feeling I have, the guilt of being the cause of your death, prevents me from realizing that my younglings are alive and that there is more than one of them."_

_ "There is something your not telling me, Anakin…I must know what happens to me," orders Padmé authoritively, attempting to keep her stormy emotions in check by reverting to her Queen Amidala act. _

_ "You'll hate me if I tell you," cries the boy, "You already hate me, don't you?"_

_ "No Ani, of course not!" cries Padmé as she gives Anakin a tight, re-assuring hug, "I could __never__ hate you. It's just, I have a right to know what is going on. This way we can help and comfort each other instead of you dealing with this mess alone."_

_ So the boy tells the queen about his entire previous vision and how this one feels like a continuations of that same vision. Padmé just listens to the boy attentively, though the feelings of shock and despair slowly overwhelm her._

_ "…And that is why I deserve nothing from you, Padmé." Anakin finishes his tragic tale, "Not even your hatred."_

_ After a moment or two of complete shock, Padmé starts laughing and looks like she has gone a little crazy, though the situation she is now in would drive anyone insane._

_ "I should be depressed and as distraught as Leia, not ten times more distraught than Leia is right now!" the young queen laughs hysterically, "But the part where you mentioned us being married in secret…It reminds me of a few comments my handmaidens made earlier before bed. They referred to me teasingly as "Mrs. Skywalker" and Eirtaé said I'll probably have twins someday. They were right after all!"_

_ Then Padmé's laughing slowly subsides to low sobs as she starts violently shaking and holds onto Anakin like her life depends on it. Anakin likewise holds onto Padmé just as tightly, never wanting her to disappear from his life like in this horrible future. After about two hours of this, both youths finally start to calm down, though now both minds are scarred by these horrifying events that will take place if they let them happen._

_ "There must be a way to change our fate," announces Padmé, seemingly back to her more normal self._

_ "There is!" yells Anakin loudly and confidently, "As long as I'm not committed to the Jedi and their Code, I'll be more free to make my own choices and I wont have to fear my feelings, I wont have to hide them. I don't think I would've turned to the dark side if I was allowed to express my feelings and worries to everyone else."_

_ "I don't think I've cried so much in my entire life," comments the queen, "I feel like such a baby."_

_ "Hey, we've both been through a lot of life changing stiff these past couple of days. Meeting you was worth it though. And I haven't cried this much before too," agrees Anakin._

_ "Do you think we'll remember any of this when we wake up?" asks Padmé curiously, part of her wanting to forget this nightmare and part of her not wanting to._

_ "I remembered my entire vision from before," replies the boy thoughtfully, "I haven't been able to __stop__ thinking about it…or __you__."_

_ "If I don't remember what has happened when we wake up and you do," requests Padmé urgently, "Please tell me everything. Oh, and expect me to act a little weird about it at first, it's not every night you sort-of meet your future children and find out everything you have worked so hard for crumbles right in front of you."_

_ "Believe me," replies the boy, sleepiness starting to appear in both his and her eyes, "I understand. I'm just glad your not mad at me…glad that you don't hate me."_

_ "Ani, how many time do I have to remind you how much I care about you," states Padmé sleepily, giving the cute boy a kiss on the cheek of his small, round face, "You will always have a special place in my heart. And from the looks of things, my caring for you will only grow in time, And this strange future, it's just one possible future…one of many other futures we could have."_

_ "Well, now that we both know what could happen…what will happen," announces Anakin confidently, "We can choose a different future…together."_

_ "That will be nice, Ani," Padmé mumbles as she starts to drift to sleep, her head lying on Anakin's shoulder as both are hugging each other and sitting on the ground together. The boy falls asleep too, both of them vanishing from the forest and out of Endor and the future… _


End file.
